jsamsen

Q: Can Airport Extreme work as Access Point?, Can Airport Extreme work as Access Point?

I have a wired Ethernet network in my house.  Can I plug Airport Extreme into one of my router ports to serve as an Access Point?   In otherwords, is Airport Extreme and Access Point or a Wireless Router?

iMAC, Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Apr 10, 2012 10:11 PM

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Q: Can Airport Extreme work as Access Point?, Can Airport Extreme work as Access Point?

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  • by Tesserax,

    Tesserax Tesserax Apr 10, 2012 10:19 PM in response to jsamsen
    Level 9 (54,325 points)
    Wireless
    Apr 10, 2012 10:19 PM in response to jsamsen

    By default the AirPort Extreme is a wireless router. However, by reconfiguring it as a bridge, it will become a combination Wireless Access Point and Ethernet switch.

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Apr 10, 2012 10:25 PM in response to jsamsen
    Level 8 (49,039 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 10, 2012 10:25 PM in response to jsamsen

    It can be either, or both.

     

    If you already have a wired network, you would configure the AirPort Extreme to "create a wireless network" and set its "connection sharing" to "Off (Bridge Mode)".

     

    The applicable settings are shown here (ignore the "Music" icon; this is for an Express):

     

    Screen Shot 2012-04-11 at 1.18.33 AM.png

     

    Configure IPv4 "Using DHCP". The other fields will populate themselves after it communicates with your router:

    Screen Shot 2012-04-11 at 1.23.44 AM.png

     

    Give the network a name you recognize, and choose a Radio Mode appropriate for the devices that need it:

     

    Screen Shot 2012-04-11 at 1.18.55 AM.png

     

    In the above, set the wireless channel to "automatic" unless you have a reason not to, and choose an appropriate security setting.

     

    Click Update and let the Extreme reset itself. That's it!

  • by murdog,

    murdog murdog Dec 10, 2014 12:59 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (25 points)
    Dec 10, 2014 12:59 PM in response to John Galt

    .I have an airport extreme connected to a comcast router. I just purchased another airport extreme to act as an extender or access point. Should I check the box "to allow this network to be extended" with the airport connected to the comcast router? Is there anything else I should be aware of connecting two airport extremes together? Also I am using windows, will the above window come up automatically when I connect the 2nd airport extreme?

  • by Tesserax,

    Tesserax Tesserax Dec 10, 2014 1:01 PM in response to murdog
    Level 9 (54,325 points)
    Wireless
    Dec 10, 2014 1:01 PM in response to murdog

    I am assuming that you have both the Comcast & Apple routers currently configured as a roaming network ... correct? ... and now you want to add another AirPort Extreme to extend the Wi-Fi range of that network ... correct? I also understand that you want the second Extreme to use a wireless, as opposed to wired connection, back to the original Extreme ... correct?

     

    If all of the above is true, the original Extreme should be configured to 'create a wireless network' and be reconfigured as a bridge. The second Extreme would be configured to 'extend a wireless network.' That network would be the roaming one created by both of the original routers.

     

    On the other hand, if the connection of the new Extreme will be wired, you then need to follow the same rules for a roaming network. That is, each base station, other than the one directly connected to the Internet modem, should be configured as bridges. Each base station should be configured to 'create a wireless network' that use the same SSID, wireless security type and password.

  • by murdog,

    murdog murdog Dec 10, 2014 1:55 PM in response to Tesserax
    Level 1 (25 points)
    Dec 10, 2014 1:55 PM in response to Tesserax

    The first scenario is correct:  I am assuming that you have both the Comcast & Apple routers currently configured as a roaming network ... correct? ... and now you want to add another AirPort Extreme to extend the Wi-Fi range of that network ... correct? I also understand that you want the second Extreme to use a wireless, as opposed to wired connection, back to the original Extreme ... correct

    To be more specific I presently have a Netgear extender wirelessly connected to the airport extreme. I want to replace the extender with the 2nd airport extreme. I assume I have the first airport setup correctly to communicate with the extender therefore what are the steps to replace the extender with the 2nd?

  • by Tesserax,

    Tesserax Tesserax Dec 10, 2014 2:21 PM in response to murdog
    Level 9 (54,325 points)
    Wireless
    Dec 10, 2014 2:21 PM in response to murdog

    To be more specific I presently have a Netgear extender wirelessly connected to the airport extreme. I want to replace the extender with the 2nd airport extreme. I assume I have the first airport setup correctly to communicate with the extender therefore what are the steps to replace the extender with the 2nd?

    I would seriously doubt that the Netgear was successful in actually extending the AirPort Extreme. Instead it, most likely, extended the Comcast-provided router's wireless.

     

    As such, you should not have to do anything to the configuration of either the Comcast or original Extreme routers. After powering-up the new Extreme, it will broadcast an unsecured wireless network, with a network name of something like Apple Network NNNNNN. The AIrPort Utility should 'see' this new base station. Select it from the utility and go through the steps for extending an existing wireless network.